Associated Press
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos says the F-35B's short take-off and vertical landing capability will give the military options.
Posted on 07/29/2011 10:55:14 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
On the Marines' Wish List: A Pricey Jet Fighter .
By NATHAN HODGE
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md.—As Washington flirts with default, the U.S. Marine Corps ferried journalists Friday to a Navy base in southern Maryland to view an exotic spectacle: the new Marine stealth jet, the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, taking off and landing.
According to military officials, this was the media's first chance to see the supersonic aircraft's most unique feature, its ability to hover and land vertically. It was also a chance for the Marine Corps to argue for keeping the program funded in an era of tremendous fiscal uncertainty.
"We're all concerned about the budget, we're all concerned about what's happening financially in our country," said Gen. James Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps. "And … this airplane is more expensive, it's the most expensive variant [of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter]."
The main question, Gen. Amos continued, was this: "Is the juice worth the squeeze?"
For the Marine Corps, the answer thus far has been a resounding yes. The F-35B is one of three versions of the next-generation Joint Strike Fighter, being developed by Lockheed Martin Corp. The Marine Corps wants the F-35B to replace three aircraft in its inventory. Particularly important is finding a replacement for the AV-8B Harrier, an aging jump-jet that is neither supersonic nor stealthy.
Gen. Amos said the short take-off and vertical landing capability of the F-35B means the U.S. military will continue to be able to operate fixed-wing jets from both big Navy aircraft carriers and smaller amphibious ships, as well from primitive and improvised runways, giving U.S. commanders a wider range of options.
Lt. Col. Fred
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Associated Press
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos says the F-35B's short take-off and vertical landing capability will give the military options.
You make the call.
I want a pony, let them sell raffle tickets if they want one., otherwise hell no.
That’s not an option for the Marines.
I mean more generally.
You would need a jack of all trades to back up the F-22. Whether the F-35 is the best best for that is another issue.
F-22 is useless for the Marine’s tasks.
F-35B costs so much because those who were going to buy it cut-and-run because of costs and delays in the F-35 general made even worse with this variant.
There’s no mention of a pony in the Constitution.
No mention of going broke over a useless over price toy either. Raffle may be there.
Marines can’t use the F22
If I was to suggest an Air Force plane for the Marines, it would be to build more Warthogs.
Like the F-16C Block 60, the F-15E AESA, the F/A-18E/F, and the EF-18G?
There are alternatives.
If you were with Lockheed Martin, the F-16 is about the last thing you would be hawking.
We need to start sending bills to all of the nations that suck on our defense expenditures, while we leave our borders open and are going busted.
I include Israel, France, Germany, Japan, S Korea, etc) that all use their money for improving infrastructure and GDP, while being in much better fiscal condition than we are.
We can not afford to continue protecting the world and not be compensated.
FYI
Why are US forces still there-it’s not like the US can’t turn down requests to keep personnel there. And of course, why is it that Islamic nations like Pakistan or Egypt still get military aid?
Hate to tell the general, but so far “guns” is a protected budgetary class, but it won’t be that way forever. Retire now and get that consultant job before it goes away.
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I agree. I was speaking about providing defense umbrellas for these other nations that live off our dole, while they get to rebuild their infrastructure.
I agree that foreign aid too should end and end to all countries not just Muslim.
We can’t afford it and most is fraudulently used. We need to hunker in and defend and rebuild our own nation unless the other countries are willing to help carry our water.
The A10 works fine.
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